


A Perfect Date

by dorkpatroller



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Art Trade, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Modern AU, first date after baby!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-30 16:38:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19407208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dorkpatroller/pseuds/dorkpatroller
Summary: Siegbert wants to take Ophelia out for the perfect first date since their daughter has been born. The plans are made, the reservations set, but there's just one problem... Ophelia can't stop texting the babysitters.





	A Perfect Date

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nabatean_Nan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nabatean_Nan/gifts).



> featuring a couple of OCs, and part of a trade with nanners.

He can remember when he asked her what she imagined a perfect first date would be like. She looked at him with big, green eyes and a smile that highlighted her dimples and giggled. “We’ve already had a first date,” she told him while she played with the booties on their daughter's little feet. “Haven’t we, baby?” She cooed at her. 

Needless to say, Siegbert didn’t mean a  _ first,  _ first date. He meant the first day out just the two of them in the six weeks since Celeste has been born. It’s not to say there’s been any distance between them. Honestly being new parents probably brought them closer. It took away some boundaries, at least. Nursing is new territory, and an interesting learning curve, but he has to say he’s impressed that she manages to balance that, playing Candy Crush, and eating a burrito from chipotle at the same time. 

It’s not easy. They say if you can survive the first month of parenthood you can survive anything, and maybe that’s true. There have been a lot of diapers, feedings, and tears. More tears from them than the baby, probably. He can admit that going to work feels like a much-needed break from the chaos, and it only reminds him how powerful Ophelia is that she can manage without any breaks at all. 

Except for tonight. This is her very first break, outside of an occasional nap. She hasn’t left Celeste with anyone for more than ten minutes while she showers and only ever at home. Once her parents watched her for two hours… but only because when they came over to visit Ophelia literally fell asleep on Owain’s arm and they didn’t want to wake her.

He asked her what a perfect date would be and she was excited! She said she wanted to go to that restaurant they love, and maybe to go dancing after. If they had the time they could stop and stargaze. 

She’s absolutely stunning. Her soft, pink hair is curled nicer than usual, and she has a clip with rhinestone stars on it pulling back a section by her ear. She did her make up… and Siegbert wouldn’t say he cares one way or another, usually. He loves his wife and her newly-earned dark circles just as she is. He’s still stunned anyway. She’s the most beautiful woman in this room, maybe in this world. 

Her dress has a pretty neckline, it’s a little flowy at the bottom. When they go dancing later, it will flare up when she twists and turns. For now, she’s elegantly seated at their table. There’s a small bouquet of flowers in a vase between them, their glasses have a wine he knows she loves. They’ve just had their salads set in front of them and he’s just noticing one, little thing wrong. 

It’s like she’s completely distracted. She glances at her phone about ten times before he says “Are you winning?” 

“What?” She looks up at him and then back at her phone. Her cheeks turn a soft shade of pink. “Oh! No, it’s not that. I was just asking your father how Lessie is eating.” She pushes the phone away from her and picks up her fork to take a bite of her salad. 

Siegbert’s parents adore Celeste. And, well, they just love babies. Xander leaped at the chance to watch his only grandchild for a few hours. He and Siegbert’s mother, Minori, have had  _ several _ children. They’re seasoned baby veterans. 

He smiles at her. “Are you nervous leaving her for a few hours?” He asks. That’s totally normal, right? Ophelia has been within arms reach of that baby for six weeks--and obviously, she was the only one allowed to hold her before she was born, too. He stops when her phone vibrates and she glances right at him before she reaches for it. Then she smiles and sets the phone down.

“I was just worried about the bottle is all. You know how she doesn’t always prefer it.” She shrugs her shoulders and reaches to break off a piece of bread. “However your father has dutifully reported she’s eating just fine, and so shall we.” 

She’s cute. The way she smiles at him and how she lights up while they talk. Of course, they’re talking almost exclusively about Celeste, but that’s alright. Siegbert kind of really loves talking about his family. Just because they’re on a date doesn’t mean they’re suddenly not parents, right? 

She hasn’t been out much, anyway, she may not feel like she has anything else  _ to _ talk about. And she listens while he talks about work, too. This is like her work! Maybe it’s a little weird to talk about the color of baby poop over dinner, but it’s not like anyone is close enough to really hear and honestly… who cares?

She only needs to finish up her salad to get squirmy again. She drums her fingertips on the table and hums. “Do you think…” 

“Do I think what?” He asks her, softly. He can only imagine this has to do with the baby. She’s an open book, she always has been. 

“It’s silly,” she says, but without further prompting, she says “Do you think you can text your father for me?” 

“Me?” Siegbert asks. “You were just a moment ago. Why do you want me to text him?” 

“Well I already did earlier, and I would hate to bother him…” She trails off. Siegbert chuckles under his breath. She just doesn’t want to seem needy. “I just want to know if he remembered to burp her. She has reflux! She spits up so badly when she doesn’t burp…” 

“I doubt he forgot to burp her.” 

“Of course! Your father is a legend among men, a highly capable parent and grandparent. But what  _ if  _ he forgot? Wouldn’t it be well within the realm of just for us to remind him?” 

“Ophie,” Siegbert chuckles again. Then he pushes his phone towards her for her to send whatever messages she likes. “Are you sure you’re alright? We can always go home after dinner instead of going out.” 

“I’m fine! I’m looking forward to dancing!” She does punch messages into his phone, however. “Aren’t you?” 

Of course, he is. He’s been looking forward to this for a week, now, but that doesn’t mean he can’t pick up the signs that she’s worried. He’s not mad about it. Still, she says she’s fine and passes his phone back to him… and he leans across the table to kiss her cheek. “I am as well.” 

By the time they’ve had dinner and their dessert orders are in Siegbert knows this is a battle lost. Ophelia keeps glancing at her watch, and he knows she’s not looking at the time. She’s trying to glance at that for updates on her phone instead of taking her phone back into her hand. She’s not sneaky. Siegbert smiles. “What now?” 

“It’s just close to her bedtime,” She says softly. “Did we pack her binky? Surely your father knows to give it to her when she sleeps…” 

Siegbert shakes his head. “I’m sure he would have called to ask why she’s screaming if he didn’t have it.” 

It’s a poor choice of words, he realizes. Clearly, just the brief, the hypothetical mental image of Celeste screaming and inconsolable is enough to ruin her mood. It’s fine. He sort of anticipated this after the third time she texted his parents. (Minori, once, because Xander didn’t respond in time.) He catches the waiter’s attention as he walks by. “Can you make that order to go?” He asks him. He nods and walks off. 

Ophelia puts her hands in her lap. “She’s probably safe and sound,” She says. Siegbert sets his cheek in his hand and smiles at her. Of course, she’s safe and sound. She’s with her fully capable grandparents and it’s only been a little over an hour. “I feel silly.” 

“Don’t feel silly,” he says. “Do you want to call them? I’ll take care of everything here, you can step outside.” 

“Really?” She asks. He nods and she slips away to head to the car. He pays for their meal and takes the back with their desserts for later, and when he makes it outside she’s somehow convinced his parents to let her facetime with the baby. It’s precious, honestly. She coos and makes silly faces and tells her how much she misses her and loves her and Siegbert can’t help but love that about her. She has an incredible sense of instinct and priority. He should never have doubted it. Celeste may be perfectly fine, but she could be perfectly fine with  _ them. _

Their date ends early, but it’s not a problem. They pick up Celeste and on the way back home Ophelia happily sits in the passenger seat glancing back at the car seat and humming to their sleepy girl.

“I’m sorry, Siegbert,” She mutters after a moment. He glances over to see her lay her cheek against the headrest. “I really was looking forward to dancing. I ruined the entire evening.” 

He smiles but turns his attention back to the road to drive home. She didn’t ruin anything. They had dinner, they got to get out of the house, and everything she did was  _ adorable,  _ albeit a little controlling. It was sweet. He’s not mad. 

“Don’t be sorry,” He says after a moment. “You didn’t ruin anything, and,” He glances back at her and tries to stifle a laugh. She’s breathing softly, she fell asleep there in the seat. “And I suppose it’s past your bedtime,” he says.

Maybe just driving them home, with his wife and his daughter sleeping soundly can be defined as a perfect date.


End file.
